Method and system for tracking multiple targets using active electronically scanned array radar

Abstract

Provided is a method of tracking multiple targets using an active electronically scanned array (AESA) radar. More particularly, provided is a method of tracking multiple targets using an AESA radar in an air-to-air mode based on the priorities and tracking information of the multiple targets.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method of tracking multiple targets using an active electronically scanned array (AESA) radar, the method being performed by at least one computing device and comprising:
 acquiring tracking information on each of the multiple targets, the tracking information comprising a tracking mode;   allocating a target priority to each of the multiple targets based on the tracking information on each of the multiple targets and preset priority rules;   extracting, based on the target priorities of the multiple targets, a plurality of tracking targets having a first tracking mode as the tracking mode from the multiple targets;   extracting a plurality of tracking candidate targets having a second tracking mode as the tracking mode from the multiple targets excluding the plurality of tracking targets;   setting a plurality of display targets by selecting as many targets as a preset maximum number of display targets from the plurality of tracking targets in order of highest to lowest of the target priorities of the plurality of tracking targets, and setting non-display targets by selecting the plurality of tracking targets excluding the plurality of display targets; and   tracking the plurality of display targets,   wherein the acquiring of the tracking information on each of the multiple targets comprises, when the tracking information on at least one target among the multiple targets changes, changing the tracking mode for each of the multiple targets based on the target priority of each of the multiple targets, a distance from the AESA radar to each of the multiple targets, and a preset maximum display range.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the tracking information on at least one target among the plurality of targets comprises angle information comprising an azimuth angle and an elevation angle of the at least one target according to a location of the at least one target, a tracking mode for the at least one the target, a distance from the at least one target to the AESA radar, engagement information on the at least one target, and a target priority of the at least one target. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the allocating of the target priority to each of the multiple targets comprises:
 setting targets engaged in combat with the AESA radar from among the plurality of tracking targets as targets of interest and respectively allocating target priorities to the targets of interest in order of engagement start times of the targets of interest from most recent to oldest;   setting, as high-priority targets, targets in a standby mode for engagement with the AESA radar from among the plurality of tracking targets excluding the targets of interest, and respectively allocating target priorities to the high-priority targets based on the preset priority rules;   setting, as situational awareness targets, targets in a non-combat mode with the AESA radar from among the plurality of display targets excluding the targets of interest and the high-priority targets, and respectively allocating target priorities to the situational awareness targets based on the preset priority rules; and   allocating, based on the preset priority rules, target priorities to the non-display targets, respectively, among the plurality of tracking targets.   
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 3 , further comprising comparing the target priorities of the situational awareness targets and the target priorities of the non-display targets with each other,
 wherein, when the target priority of a first non-display target among the non-display targets is higher than the target priority of a first situational awareness target among the situational awareness targets, the first non-display target is switched to a situational awareness target, and the first situation awareness target is switched to a non-display target.   
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein, when a number of the plurality of tracking targets is equal to a total of the preset maximum number of display targets and a preset maximum number of non-display targets, the method further comprises detecting at least one tracking candidate target as a first tracking candidate target from among the plurality of tracking candidate targets. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein the detecting of the at least tracking candidate target as the first tracking candidate target from among the plurality of tracking candidate targets comprises:
 acquiring tracking information on the first tracking candidate target; and   when a distance from the AESA radar to the first tracking candidate target is greater than or equal to the preset maximum display range, and the target priority of the first tracking candidate target is higher than a lowest target priority among the target priorities of the plurality of display targets, changing the tracking mode of the first tracking candidate target to the first tracking mode and switching the first tracking candidate target to a situational awareness target.   
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein the acquiring of tracking information on the first tracking candidate target comprises, when the distance from the AESA radar to the first tracking candidate target is greater than or equal to the preset maximum display range, and the target priority of the first tracking candidate target is lower than the lowest target priority among the target priorities of the plurality of display targets, determining whether the first tracking candidate target is within a preset search area. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein the determining of whether the first tracking candidate target is within the preset search area comprises:
 determining whether an azimuth angle and an elevation angle of the first tracking candidate target are respectively within an azimuth angle range and an elevation angle range of the preset search area,   when the first tracking candidate target is within the preset search area, changing a tracking mode for the first tracking candidate target to the first tracking mode and switching the first tracking candidate target to the non-display target; and   when the first tracking candidate target is not within the preset search area, setting the second tracking mode as the tracking mode for the first tracking candidate target.   
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the target priorities are calculated according to the preset priority rules based on an elevation of each of the multiple targets according to a location of each of the multiple targets, an angle of each of the multiple targets from a center of the AESA radar, a distance to each of the multiple targets from the AESA radar, and an approach speed of each of the multiple targets toward the AESA radar. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein when the AESA radar is in a close combat mode for the multiple targets, the targets of interest are set as the plurality of display targets, and the plurality of tracking targets excluding the targets of interest are switched to the plurality of tracking candidate targets having the second tracking mode. 
     
     
         11 . A method of tracking multiple targets using an active electronically scanned array (AESA) radar, the method being performed by at least one computing device and comprising:
 acquiring tracking information on each of the multiple targets, the tracking information comprising a tracking mode for each of the multiple targets;   allocating a target priority to each of the multiple targets based on the tracking information on each of the multiple targets and preset priority rules;   setting a plurality of situational awareness targets by selecting as many targets as a preset maximum number of display targets from the multiple targets in order of highest to lowest of the target priorities of the multiple targets; and   tracking the plurality of situational awareness targets,   wherein, when tracking information of at least one target among the multiple targets changes, the method further comprises reallocating a target priority to each of the multiple targets and resetting the plurality of situational awareness targets based on the target priorities.   
     
     
         12 . A computer program stored in a medium to execute, by using a computing device, the method of  claim 1 . 
     
     
         13 . A system for tracking multiple targets, the system comprising an active electronically scanned array (AESA) radar and a target management unit configured to manage the multiple targets,
 wherein the target management unit comprises:   a tracking information acquisition unit configured to acquire tracking information on each of the multiple targets, the tracking information comprising a tracking mode for each of the multiple targets;   a priority allocation unit configured to allocate a target priority to each of the multiple targets based on the tracking information on each of the multiple targets and preset priority rules;   a tracking target extraction unit configured to extract a plurality of tracking targets having a first tracking mode from the multiple targets based on the target priorities;   a display target setting unit configured to set a plurality of display targets by selecting as many tracking targets as a preset maximum number of display targets from among the plurality of tracking targets in order of highest to lowest of the target priorities; and   a target tracking unit configured to track the plurality of display targets,   wherein the tracking information acquisition unit is further configured to, when tracking information on at least one target among the multiple targets changes, change the tracking mode for each of the multiple targets based on the target priority of each of the multiple targets, a distance from the AESA radar to each of the multiple targets, and a preset maximum display range.   
     
     
         14 . The system of  claim 13 , wherein the target management unit further comprises:
 a tracking candidate extraction unit configured to extract a plurality of tracking candidate targets having a second tracking mode from among the multiple targets excluding the plurality of tracking targets;   a non-display target setting unit configured to set each of the plurality of tracking targets excluding the plurality of display targets as a non-display target; and   a target output unit configured to output results of tracking the plurality of display targets using the target tracking unit.   
     
     
         15 . The system of  claim 14 , wherein the target management unit further comprises a target detection unit configured to detect at least one tracking candidate target among the plurality of tracking candidate targets when a number of the plurality of tracking targets is equal to a total of the preset maximum number of display targets and a preset maximum number of non-display targets.